Arrivée aux Pays Bas - arrival in the Netherlands
En effet, je pensais que Gaetan avait prévenu l’agent de notre arrivée, et lui pensait que je l’avais fait. Double quiproquo qui, le 1er septembre… un dimanche donc, nous laissait sans les clés de la maison... donc sans le gîte et le couvert pour notre première nuit aux Pays-Bas.
Après un appel peu fructueux à notre agent (que je réveille), j’appelle au secours la famille Seguy, qui m’a (fort heureusement) accueilli les bras ouverts, la table garnie, et les lits confortables. Nous avions juste à monter les valises, et même ça, Damien s’en est chargé. Quel accueil mes amis, quel accueil ! C’était sensationnel de pouvoir compter sur eux !!! Merci les amis !
Parking à vélo !!! Très impressionnant ! / Cycle parking very impressive !
Our arrival in the Netherlands was a bit chaotic!
Indeed, I thought that Gaetan had warned the agent of our arrival, and he thought that I had done it. Double misunderstanding that led us, on September 1st ... a Sunday then, without the keys of the house... so without the bed and breakfast for our first night in the Netherlands.
High anxiety.
Ultimate stress.
We try not to panic anyway !!!! Rhaaaaaa small extract of the (deaf) conversation between sir and madam:
- "Gaëtan, but do something !!! where are we going to sleep tonight? Did you have the agent on the line? What are we going to do ? How do I get the keys from our house ?
- but I can not, I'm in Azerbaijan
- Can’t you call someone, move the lines
- uh ... take a hotel. It is Sunday, I will not get anyone on line to solve the issue !
- rhaaa f**** 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 your society is a 🤬🤬🤬 and rhaaa (rage, helplessness and despair!) »
After an unsuccessful call to our agent (that I woke up), I called for help the Seguy family, who (thankfully) welcomed us (me and my tribe) with open arms, the table ready, and comfortable beds. We just had to lift the bags to then 2nd floor, and even that, Damien did it. What a welcoming my friends, what a welcoming ! It was amazing to be able to rely on them !!! Thank you dear friends, from the bottom of my heart !
So here we are in the Netherlands, in The Hague, and I enjoy a guided bike tour accompanied by Céline and Audrey, who showed me the city center and taught me the cycling rules here. I'm having fun ! I already love it !!! It's nice, I enjoy! I let myself totally relaxed by the family rhythm, the guys are looked after by Damien, who sometimes plays board games, sometimes takes them to the park. To make it short, it was an unexpected arrival!
On Monday, we had the keys, but it was just too tight to sleep on the spot: I do not have anything to eat for the evening and the next day. I'm re-sleeping at the friends' house. Celine took the opportunity to show me the local supermarket for a lot of heavy products (milk, oil, salt, nesquick, potato and all the rest!). I got a bike on Marktplaats (the equivalent of the 2nd hand marketplace over the web, negotiated it) eh eh !!!
Tuesday was the big move! The house is welcoming and very (too) white (on 4 levels)! I got another bike for Charline through Marktplaatz. It will be necessary that I repair the lights, but it is a good bike and pretty fast !!! So I have two bicycles. I need one more !
Between the bike and the floors, I'm going to have iron legs !!! This is good because my neck, by wearing the suitcases and the stress of the move, hurts me a lot!
I make the trip from school till home and the opposite a few times and I have to find another bike for Hector: Tuesday, it will be done, even if I did not find any second hand opportunity!
On Wednesday, the back to school year promised to be complex: I had to hope that the older ones remembered the way (which they did only twice) and managed, while I accompanied the primaries ... sometimes I would like to have the gift of ubiquity or more than two hands !!!
They were great, all. I felt very proud of them.
Clovis had his little tear, causing the tear in his mom's eye. It's not easy for them to move all the time !!!
Clovis goes to CE2, Edgar in CM2, Hector in 6th and Charline in 4th ...
Good back to school to all children! And now, I need to find some rain coats and I'm going to explore my neighborhood !!!